Germany 5–7 Leeds
On 30 October 2012, Leeds met Germany at the Commerzbank-Arena in Frankfurt, Germany, for a friendly match. Leeds won the game 7–5, after trailing 4–0 at half time. The game broke the record for the most goals scored by a Leeds team in a single game; it was equalled just days later when Leeds defeated Sweden 7–1. Match report The match started nervously, with both sides trying to maintain possession. However, after a Leeds attack, Germany's Mesut Özil broke away and scored after just 12 minutes to put the Germans 1–0 up. However, the goal wasn't without controversy, as replays showed that Özil had punched the ball into the net with his hand. Under normal rules, Leeds should have been awarded a free kick for handball, and Özil could have been yellow or even red-carded. However, the referee did not see the incident, as he was stood 20 yards directly behind Özil at the time, and to him it looked like Özil had headed the ball into the net. An angered Leeds side went straight on the attack after the restart, but once again Germany broke away and scored. Mesut Özil scored his second after 18 minutes to give the Germans a healthy 2–0 lead. Minutes later, Miroslav Klose intercepted the ball on the half-way line. Running down the centre, he shot from 40 yards out, slamming the ball into the top corner. An incredible goal, and Germany were now leading 3–0 after just 20 minutes in Frankfurt. After the restart, the Germans intercepted the ball immediately and launched an attack. They were extremely unlucky not to score, hitting the crossbar three times and the bar twice, including one shot which ricocheted between both posts, rolling agonisingly along the goal-line parallel to it, before being saved by the Leeds goalkeeper. However, their work paid off, and Miroslav Klose grabbed his second goal of the game, tapping in a goal from close range after 37 minutes. There was no further action, and as the referee blew for half time, Germany had a comfortable 4–0 lead over the boys from Leeds. Seconds into the second half, Matthew Spector gained the ball for Leeds, sprinted down the wing, before slamming the ball past the German goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler from 30 yards out. Leeds were still trailing 4–1, but the goal, after just 18 seconds of the second half, gave the away fans belief, and they began chanting songs incredibly loud, to the astonishment of the silenced German fans. With the backing of the vocal away fans, Leeds' began to play incredibly well. Chance after chance was blocked, saved, or missed wide. However, on 64 minutes, the ball finally found the back of the net for Leeds, as Jason Newson headed home from a corner to reduce Leeds' deficit to 4–2. In the 66th minute, Brian Vela netted a volley from the edge of the penalty area - the Germans were beginning to worry, the score was now just 4–3. Louder than ever, the Leeds fans pushed the players on, and the inevitable arrived in the 72nd minute. After a goalmouth scramble, Matthew Spector headed the ball into the back of the net. The away fans erupted, and German police struggled to keep them off of the pitch. With the score at 4–4 with just under 20 minutes to play, it was game on. And then, in the 75th minute, the even more inevitable occurred. After another goalmouth scramble, John Greco found the back of the net with a goal from the edge of the six-yard box. Leeds, incredibly, were now leading 5–4. Euphoric Leeds fans started singing "4–0, and you ****ed it up" to the dejected Germany fans who began to leave the stadium early. However, in the 81st minute, the Germans gained the ball and launched an attack, and, typically, they scored with their first attempt. Mesut Özil grabbed his hat-trick from the edge of the penalty area, and the Germans had levelled the score to 5–5. However, the Leeds fans never stopped supporting their team, and in the 89th minute, John Greco scored a magnificent goal to put Leeds 6–5 up. The win was cemented with a last minute goal from Matthew Spector, who got his hat trick, and put Leeds 7–5 up. At the final whistle, the 8,000 travelling Leeds fans invaded the pitch to congratulate their players on the Greatest Comeback of All Time. Final score: Germany 5–7 Leeds Attendance: 50,904